April 2014, Barrow, Alaska~

Dear Book-Of-Words~

Hello from The Far North!   This is your friend, Aasha Tyorek, from Barrow, Alaska, writing.  I hope this finds you all well!

Now that spring has come, it means much more daylight, with it increasing until Summer, when the Longest Day will have Father Sun shining for nearly 24 hours.  Very soon, the Night Rainbow will disappear until the Waning Summer, the time of the Colorful Plants and Tundra.  You call it Autumn.  I call it the Waning Summer.  

The Night Rainbow has been shining just about every night, with incredible colors and displays.  It's one reason why I haven't been online; the auroral activity messes up with the radio and internet signals.  It can also cause power outages if it is strong enough, but we have our extra clothes and our blankets (plus warm soup) to keep us warm.

I am no longer so little: in fact, I am no longer a child.  I am now a teenage girl of sixteen; my brothers, Qisik and Sorqaq, are living away from home; they have their own lives now and are both married.  They are 21 and 23 winters old.  Meanwhile, Mikisaq and Maki are in elementary school; they are 9 and 10, and Ukulik and Sammik are in elementary school as well; they are 8.  

Mother and Father look old: both have grey hair now and Mother, especially, looke careworn and looks more like a gramma than a mamma.  She also has pains in her body and I often have to help with the younger children 'cause Mother is hurting so bad in her joints and in her muscles.  Doctors call this pain fibromalgia (spelling??); they give her medicine for it, but it doesn't seem to be doing much good.

I worry about Mother; I hate to see her hurting.  I wish there was something I could do to take the pain away.

We had a very unusual winter: warm most of the time, but some days we did have cold and snow, but not nearly enough, not like we usually do.  It was kind of nice, 'cause I got to spend more time outdoors with my friends and with my brothers and sisters; then Mother got her pains, and now I stay in and help with the younger children and cook if Mother is hurting more than what is usual for her.  I don't mind helping though; I love my family very much.

I am happy to say I am doing better in school.  While I may still have trouble with my dyslexia, I've learned ways to work around it and not to struggle so much.  It has been a blessing from the spirits, and I like to think that Grandmother Bird Woman and Grandfather Elk had something to do with it; they always encouraged me when they were still alive.  I think they are still doing it from above, wherever that may be.  

I think one reason the Night Rainbows have been so active this year is because of how proud Grandfather Elk and Grandmother Bird Woman are of me regarding my schoolwork.  Maybe it is their reward for my hard work.

To think that is very comforting to me.

Well, I hate to go, but Sammik and Ukulik are fighting; it sounds like they are going to kill each other.  I'd better tend to it before they wake up Mother or before there is any bloodshed, and then I would have to clean that up too.  Take care and may the Great Spirit bless you!

~Aama.  :)